The Registrar of Societies has approved in principle the application to set up Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, but with the acronym PPBM and not Bersatu, it was stated today.Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ROS would give full approval after PPBM clarified the role and functions of its president and chairman.It was not ROS which decided on the acronym PPBM but the party itself when it applied for registration, he said at a press conference after attending the monthly assembly of the Home Ministry here."In the initial application, the party had wanted to use the acronym Bersatu but a ROS check revealed that the word was being used by many other parties and organisations."Following discussions, the applicant gave the acronym PPBM and ROS gave the approval (in principle)," he said, adding that Bersatu was being used by six parties and organisations.

Ahmad Zahid said the ROS had also requested for a slight alteration to the party logo.He said he did not interfere in the approval of the application, and added that approval would be given to any party or organisation if the conditions in the Societies Act 1966 were adhered to.Asked about the possibility of PPBM using the acronym Bersatu, Ahmad Zahid said the party would then have violated its constitution."If it uses the acronym Bersatu, the ROS can deregister the party," he said.Former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin applied last month to register Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim and ROS director-general Datuk Mohammad Razin Abdullah were also present at the press conference.Source -Bernama-